AM I A CHRISTIAN] 



BY JAMES LORING. 



What saith the {Scripture 1....Pauf. 
To the Law and to the Testimony. ...Isaiah. 



BOSTON: 
JAMES LORING, PUBLISHER. 
1842. 



Bertrafn Smith 
lyiarch 15, 1S34 



a 

<$ 



PREFACE 



It appears to be the settled conviction of 
men of the best judgment and most conscien- 
tious discernment, that there are no subjects 
on which we are so much inclined to make 
mistakes, as that, of the nature of true religion, 
and our own moral character in the sight of 
God. It is revolting to the native pride of 
our hearts to be placed in the lowly state of 
sin and misery, in which the Gospel finds us, 
wholly dependent upon the mercy of God in 
Christ. We rise in hostility against the just 
denunciations of wrath against our guilt, and 
vainly imagine that we can merit God's favor 
by our repentance and good works. In oppo- 
sition to this deceptive view of our own char* 
acter, divine revelation faithfully counsels us 
to beware. Jesus assures us, that false teach- 

A* 



iv 



PREFACE. 



ers will arise, publishing erroneous views of 
religion, and that Satan, our grand adversary, 
will assist their machinations to deceive and 
ruin our souls. In addition to these dangers, 
our own depravity will incline us to disobey 
and despise the gospel. 

The parables of Jesus in the thirteenth 
chapter of Matthew, give a fearful account of 
the manner in which men turn away their 
ears from the truth, and are led away by the 
different temptations which assail them. The 
way-side hearer attends to the proclamation 
of the gospel, but does not understand it, and 
Satan catcheth away the word that was sown 
in his heart. The word is received by others 
as in stony places, but having no root in the 
affections, such persons endure for a season 
and in time of temptation fall away. A third 
class is represented as receiving the word, as 
seed sown among thorns. In these persons 
the eares of the world and the deceitfulness of 
riches choke the word, and they become un- 
fruitful. There is, however, a happy num- 
ber.., decidedly distinct from those heretofore 



PREFACE. 



V 



earned, who receive the word into good and 
honest hearts, and bring forth fruit in different 
degrees unto eternal life. 

The account here given is that of inspira- 
tion, and it presents a melancholy picture of 
human depravity. Of four different kinds of 
hearers of the proclamation of pardon to the 
penitent, there is but one that receives the 
truth in the love of it. We see then, how 
precious are those seasons of grace in which 
God appears by His Holy Spirit to arrest sin- 
ners in their course to ruin, and to turn them 
from sin to holiness. The way in which he 
does this, is to convince them of the state of 
their hearts as exceedingly sinful, and in- 
cline them to seek salvation through the me- 
diation of the Son of God. To give an 
idea of the opinion of Christian ministers on 
this subject a century since, we present 
an extract from Prince's Christian History, 
son of the Rev. Mr. Prince, forty years 
minister of the Old South Church in this city. 
We find it copied in Gillies' History of the 
Success of the Gospel. It relates to the 



vi 



PREFACE. 



remarkable revival which took place in Bos- 
ton about the year 1740, and was written by 
the Rev. Thomas Prince. The style of the 
passage, although quaint and diffuse, is for- 
cible and impressive. 

" On Friday night, July 30, 1742, at the lecture in 
the South Church, near nine of the clock, being very 
dark, there came on a very terrible storm of thunder 
and lightening: and just as the blessing was given, an 
amazing clap broke over the church with piercing 
repetitions, which set many a shrieking, and the whole 
assembly into great consternation : and yet in these 
displays of the Majesty of God, and terrifying appre- 
hensions of danger of sudden destruction, neither in 
this surprizing night, nor in all the course of thirty 
years, have I scarce known any, by these kinds of ter- 
rors, brought under genuine convictions. So, on the 
Lord's-day, June 3d last, in our time of public worship 
in the forenoon, when we had been about a quarter of 
an hour in prayer, the mighty power of God came on 
with a surprising roar and earthquake ; which made 
the house with all the galleries to rock and tremble, 
with such a grating noise, as if the bricks were moving 
out of their places to come down and bury us ; which 
exceedingly disturbed the congregation, excited the 
shrieks of many, put many on flying out, and the gene- 
rality in motion. But though many were greatly ter- 
rified, yet in a day or two their terrors seemed to van- 
ish, and I know of but two or three seized by convic- 
tions on this awful occasion. 



PREFACE. 



VII 



"No! conviction is quite another sort of a thing. 
It is the work of the Spirit of God, a sovereign, free 
and almighty agent ; wherein he gives the sinful soul 
such a clear and lively view of the glory of the divine 
sovereignty, omnipresence, holiness, justice, truth and 
power )• the extensiveness, spirituality and strictness 
of his law, the binding nature, efficacy and dreadful- 
ness of his curses ; the multitude and heinousness of 
its sins both of commission and omission ; the horrible 
vileness, wickedness, perverseness and hypocrisy of 
the heart, with its utter impotence either rightly to 
repent, or believe in Christ, or change itself: so that 
it sees itself in a lost, undone and perishing state, with- 
out the least degree of worthiness to recommend it to 
the holy and righteous God, and the least degree of 
strength to help itself out of this condition. These 
discoveries are made by means of some revealed truths, 
either in the reading, hearing or remembrance : when in 
the hearing, sometimes by words of terror, and some- 
times by words of tenderness : and the Holy Spirit 
with such internal evidence and power, so applies them 
to the conscience, that they become as sharp arrows 
piercing into the heart, wounding, paining and stick- 
ing in it, when all the mechanical impressions of fright- 
ful sounds are over, sometimes for many days, weeks 
and months, if not years together, until this Divine 
Agent, by these and other convictions agreeably to his 
inspired word, entirely subdues the soul to Christ, or 
being ungratefully treated, withdraws his convincing 
influence, and leaves the heart and conscience to 



viii 



PREFACE. 



greater and more dangerous hardness and stupidity 
than ever. 

" Such were the convictions wrought in many hun- 
dreds in this town by Mr. Tennent's searching minis- 
try : and such was the case of many scores of several 
other congregations as well as mine, who came to me 
and others for direction under them. And indeed by 
all their converse I found, it was not so much the terror 
as the searching nature of his ministry, that was the 
principal means of their conviction. It was not mere- 
ly, nor so much his laying open the terrors of the law, 
and wrath of God, or damnation of hell ; (for this they 
could pretty well bear, as long as they hoped these 
belonged not to them, or they could easily avoid them;) 
as his laying open their many vain and secret shifts 
and refuges, counterfeit resemblances of grace, delu- 
sive and damning hopes, their utter impotence, and 
impending danger of destruction ; whereby they found 
all their hopes and refuges of lies to fail them, and 
themselves exposed to eternal ruin, unable to help 
themselves, and in a lost condition. This searching 
preaching was both the suitable and principal means 
of their conviction : though 'tis most evident, the 
most proper means are utterly insufficient ; and wholly 
depend on the sovereign will of God, to put forth his 
power, and apply them by this or that instrument, on 
this or that person, at this or that season, in this or 
that way or manner ; with these or those permitted 
circumstances, infirmities, corruptions, errors, agen- 
cies, oppositions ; and to what degree, duration and 
event he pleases. 



PREFACE. 



IX 



" A remarkable instance of conviction also has been 
sometimes under the ministry of the Rev. Mr. Edwards 
of Northampton: a preacher of a low and moderate 
voice, a natural way of delivery, and without any agi- 
tation of body, or any thing else in the manner to ex- 
cite attention, except his habitual and great solemnity, 
looking and speaking as in the presence of God, and 
with a weighty sense of the matter delivered. It is 
just as the Holy Spirit pleases, who hides occasions of 
pride from man : and if Mr. Tennent was to come 
here again, and preach more rouzingly than ever, it 
may be, not one soul would come under conviction by 
him." 

The object of the author of the following 
pages, is to present some of the distinguishing 
characteristics of the work of grace on the 
heart. For this purpose he has made fre- 
quent allusions to the Scriptures, believing 
their testimony to be divine and conclusive on 
the great subjects brought to view. If the 
effort should assist any sincere inquirer as to 
his own moral character, it will be a peculiar 
gratification to the author. 

B 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 



Chap. 1. Holt Love to God, .... 9 

" 2. Power of Faith, 16 

" 3. Authority of Christ to 

Parbo> t Sinners, 28 

" 4. Traits of Moral Character, 33 

" 5. Dagger of Unbelief, ... 37 

" 6. Religious Cheerfulness, . . 42 
" 7. Justification by Faith in 

Christ, 48 

" 8. The Energy of the Holy 

Ghost, 56 

" 9. No Religion without Love, 69 
" 10. The Presence of God with 

his People, 77 

" 11. The Ministration of the 

Spirit, 85 

" 12. The Latter Day Glory of 

the Church, 92 

" 13. The Crowning Evidence of 

Salvation, 99 

" 14. The Believer's Prospect in 

Death, 107 

" 15. The Christian in Heaven, 116 



AM I A CHRISTIAN? 



CHAPTER I. 

HOLY LOVE TO GOD. 

I. John iv. 18. 

THERE IS NO FEAR IN LOVE ; BUT PERFECT LOVE 
CASTETH OUT FEAR. 

It is pleasing to observe, that the state- 
ments respecting vital godliness which are 
recorded in Scripture, delightfully harmonize 
with the feelings of the regenerate heart. In 
the passage on which we propose to com- 
ment, we are assured of a heart cheering 
truth, that perfect or holy love casteth out 
slavish fear. What Christian is there, who has 
ever felt the love of God shed abroad in his 

heart, who does not know this fact ? This love 
2 



10 



HOLY LOVE TO GOD. 



unites the heart to God and truth. The holy- 
character of God and the purity of all revealed 
truth which bears his moral image, are to the 
new bora soul delightful objects of contem- 
plation. The transformation which is effected 
in regeneration, brings the individual into such 
a nearness to God, as utterly to banish for a 
season every fearful apprehension. The clear 
discovery of the divine perfections, as they 
are manifested in the faith of Jesus Christ, 
who is the medium of communication of for- 
giveness to the sinner, fills the soul with a joy 
unspeakable and full of glory, becoming a hap- 
py foretaste of endless blessedness in Heaven. 
It was a special petition in the last prayer of 
Jesus Christ, that the disciples whom his fa- 
ther had given him might be with him in the 
eternal world, to behold his glory, that glory 
which the Father had given him before the 
world began. What more delightful appre- 
hension of the blessedness of Heaven can be 



HOLY LOVE TO GOD. 



11 



possibly entertained, than to behold and love 
with ineffable joy the glory of God, as it shines 
in the face of Jesus Christ. 

The Scriptures give us the most beautiful 
representations of true religion by assuring us 
that it is love. That believer, therefore, who 
desires to be the happiest Christian on earth, 
must cherish this affection with the greatest 
diligence. There are many serious persons, 
who, it is hoped, are truly pious, who seem to 
enjoy but a small portion of this comfort of 
love. This may be owing to their neglect of 
watchfulness and their inattention to the spirit 
of prayer ; or it may be in consequence of 
indistinct views of the gospel of Christ. It is 
greatly important in the cultivation of holy love 
to God and truth, that we enter deeply into 
the clearest apprehensions of His love in the 
gift of his Son. Such views are essential to 
the enjoyment of that peace of God which 
passeth all understanding. 



12 



HOLY LOVE TO GOD. 



The number of believers is by no means 
small, who express a strong desire to enjoy a 
full and constant assurance of the love of God 
to their souls. The truth that there is no fear 
in love, and the habitual exercise of this de- 
lightful temper of mind towards God, is the 
certain way to attain this assurance. The 
most happy saints on earth are those, who have 
been most deeply rooted in holy love. When 
Moses expressed his intense love to God, it 
was made in this brief supplication, "I beseech 
thee, to show me thy glory." When Enoch 
manifested a similar feeling of heart, it was by 
walking with God in holy communion. When 
David gives utterance to his heart in love to 
God, it is in this language " My soul thirsteth 
for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no 
water is, to see thy power and thy glory, so 
as I have seen thee in the sanctuary. Whom 
have I in Heaven but thee, and there is none 
upon earth that I desire beside thee." 



HOLY LOVE TO GOD. 13 

What a beautiful illustration of holy love 
have we in the conduct of that Mary, who fol- 
lowed Jesus into the house of Simon the phar- 
isee, which he had entered to sit at meat. 
She brought an alabaster box of ointment, and 
stood at his feet behind him weeping, and 
began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe 
them with the hairs of her head, and kissed 
his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. 
The Pharisee began to question in his own 
mind, whether he had not mistaken the cha- 
racter of Jesus, and said within himself, This 
man, if he were a prophet, would have known 
who and what manner of woman this is, that 
toucheth him ; for she is a sinner. Jesus 
knowing his thoughts, said to him, "Seest thou 
this woman ? I entered into thy house, thou 
gavest me no water for my feet : but she hath 
washed my feet with tears, and wiped them 
with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me 

no kiss ; but this woman, since the time I 
2* 



14 



HOLY LOVE TO GOD. 



came in, hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My 
head with oil thou didst not ianoint ; but this 
woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. 
Wherefore, I say unto thee, her sins, which 
are many, are forgiven ; for she loved much : 
but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth 
little." Perhaps we have no brighter exam- 
ple in the New Testament, of the intermin- 
gling of holy love with penitence, and faith, and 
humility, than is to be seen in this woman. 

The love of which we speak is as clear an 
exhibition of the beauty of holiness, as can be 
found in Revelation. It is the peculiar trait 
which the Scripture ascribes to God himself, 
when it declares that God is love. This love 
has no affinity with moral evil. Holiness and 
sin are perfectly opposite in their nature, as 
saith the Scripture, " The flesh lusteth against 
the spirit and the spirit against the flesh, and 
these are contrary the one to the other." 

The excellent John Newton has remarked 



HOLY LOVE TO GOD. 



15 



on the passage, " He that believeth, hath the 
witness in himself," that to enjoy the felicity 
of this witness, it is necessary to have the 
truths of the gospel revealed in our hearts. 
This brings an experimental conviction on 
which we may depend, that we have received 
the grace of God in truth. There is such a 
sympathy between the written word and the 
gracious exercises of the renewed soul, as to 
overpower the unholy principle of unbelief. 
The moral character of God is so delightful 
to the contemplation of the new man, as to 
illustrate the truth of Scripture, that "with the 
heart man believeth unto righteousness." 

Believers jn Jesus, make^it your daily busi- 
ness to cultivate in your hearts this holy sym- 
pathy with the truths of God. It will give 
you the most satisfactory evidence of your title 
to eternal blessedness. 



CHAPTER IL 



THE POWER OF FAITH. 

Mark xi. 22. 
HAVE FAITH IN GOD. 

The more we examine the volume of inspi- 
ration, the more clearly do we see the neces- 
sity of doing so with holy supplication and 
with believing views, that the truths commu- 
nicated are a revelation from heaven. This is 
the only book from which we can obtain a 
correct knowledge of the character of God, of 
our relations to him, of our accountability, and 
of that invisible world which we are soon to 
enter. Here we are taught the immortality 
of the soul, the certain rewards of the right- 
eous, and the miseries which await the wick- 



POWER OF FAITH. 



17 



ed. The character of the friends of God is 
drawn with great simplicity, and in a manner 
which cannot be misunderstood by any one 
who is willing to believe what God has reveal- 
ed, and to believe it simply on his testimony. 
The distinguishing marks of an enemy of God 
are also delineated with great clearness, and 
the certainty of their punishment is also dis- 
tinctly stated, unless they repent and forsake 
iniquity. 

The words on which we now comment 
were spoken by Him, who spake as never man 
spake. His words, " Have faith in God," 
imply the force of a positive command. They 
are founded in the fact of man's accountabili- 
ty, and the natural powers which are given 
him to do his duty. The faith here com- 
manded is indispensable in the discharge of 
every moral obligation. How can any duty 
be performed as it ought to be done, unless 
we believe in God, and have a realizing ap- 



18 



POWER OF FAITH. 



prehension of his presence and inspection ? If 
we attempt to pray, we cannot do so aright, 
unless we believe in the omnipresence of the 
invisible God, and that he hears our supplica- 
tion. In our request at the throne of grace, 
we must have a clear perception of our abso- 
lute dependence upon Him, and of his ability 
to do the things which we ask of him. Was 
it not so with the good old patriarch Jacob, 
when he was about to meet his brother Esau ? 
He well knew the spirit of revenge which had 
long lurked in the bosom of Esau, and he was 
now afraid that this was the time in which his 
brother would be avenged. What did he do ? 
He did not say that he would flee from the 
approach of Esau, or that he would summon 
the strength of all his attendants to encounter 
the strength of Esau, with his 400 men. No, 
he has better strength than this. He thinks 
of God Almighty, and betakes himself to 
prayer. He tells the Lord his fears, and th^t 



POWER OF FAITH. 19 

he apprehends his brother will destroy him 
and his family. Hear Jacob's prayer — " O 
God of my father Abraham, and God of my 
father Isaac, the Lord which saidst unto me, 
Return into thy country, and to thy kindred, 
and I will deal well with thee : I am not wor- 
thy of the least of all the mercies, and of all 
the truth which thou hast showed unto thy 
servant ; for with my staff I passed over this 
Jordan, and now I am become two bands. 
Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my 
brother, from the hand of Esau : for I fear 
him, lest he will come and smite me, and the 
mother with the children." After this, Jacob 
prepares to meet his brother by a peaceful 
arrangement, and with a valuable present to 
pacify his dreaded resentment, of which we 
have an account in the 32d of Genesis. Be- 
fore his meeting Esau, we have an account of 
an interview which he had with a man, of 
whom he said, " I have seen God face to face, 



20 



POWER OF FAITH. 



and my life is preserved." The man with 
whom he wrestled in the night, is supposed to 
have been Jesus Christ, who had assumed a 
bodily form. When he desired to depart be- 
cause the day began to break, Jacob said, " I 
will not let thee go except thou bless me. 
And he said unto him, What is thy name ? 
And he said, Jacob. And he said, thy name 
shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel, for 
as a prince hast thou power with God and with 
men, and hast prevailed." 

Here we see a noble example of the exer- 
cise of faith. The prayer of faith has power 
with God, and is the happy medium of bring- 
ing down from heaven the blessings of grace to 
guilty men. But alas ! what unbelief is there 
in the hearts of those, who are called the chil- 
dren of the Most High ! How feeble are their 
supplications when compared with the confi- 
dence of him, who was henceforth to be called 
Israel, a prince who had power with God. 



POWER OF FAITH. 21 

The instances in the New Testament are 
many, in which our Lord gave the highest 
testimony to the excellence of faith in his pow- 
er and grace. When the Syro-Phenician wo- 
man besought him to heal the malady with 
which she was afflicted, and he, knowing that 
she was a Gentile, said to her " It is not meet 
to take the children's bread and cast it to the 
dogs," the woman determined to urge her plea 
to the last, and submissively acknowledging 
what he said to be just, urged her request with 
a new argument, " Truth, Lord, yet the dogs 
eat the crumbs which fall from their master's 
table :" Jesus, as if overcome with her deep 
submission, gave her this memorable eulogy, 
" O woman, great is thy faith, be it unto thee 
even as thou wilt." On another occasion 
when a Roman centurion besought him to 
heal his servant, and the Lord told him that 
he would come and heal him, the centurion 
answered, " Lord, I am not worthy that thou 
3 



22 



POWER OF FAITH. 



shouldst come under my roof, but speak (lie 
word only, and my servant shall be healed." 
With what condescending kindness did the 
Saviour give testimony to his faith in this re- 
ply, in the presence of all around him, "Verily 
I have not found so great faith, no, not in 
Israel," and he said unto the centurion, " Go 
thy way ; and as thou hast believed, so be it 
unto thee," and his servant was healed in the 
self-same hour. The impotent man who was 
healed at the pool Bethesda, is an instance of 
faith in the power of Christ which he approv- 
ed by immediately healing him. If the man 
had said, I am helpless and cannot take up my 
bed as thou hast commanded, and thus refused 
to obey the Lord, he would not have received 
the blessing which he had desired ; but he, 
with the obedience of faith took up his bed 
and walked. So also was it with the man 
who had the withered hand. On the Sab- 
bath-day, when the Jews were assembled in 



POWER OF FAITH. 



23 



the presence of the man with a withered hand, 
our Saviour, to show the power of faith and 
his authority to work a miracle in their sight, 
said to the man with the withered hand, 
" Stretch out thy hand." With an obedient 
will he did so, and his hand was restored whole 
as the other. Another example is found in 
the case of a blind man, who besought the 
Lord to restore to him his sight, the man hav- 
ing been blind from his birth. Having anoint- 
ed the eyes of the man with clay, Jesus said 
to him, " Go to the pool of Siloam and wash. 5 ' 
Why did not Jesus immediately restore the 
man's sight, without commanding him to go 
to the pool and wash ? He could have restor- 
ed his sight by a word, if it had been his plea- 
sure to do so, but he chose that the man should 
have an evidence of his own faith by doing as 
he had commanded. The man went and 
washed, and returned seeing. Thus was his 
faith approved, and he had the witness of it in 



24 



POWER OF FAITH. 



himself* Other bright discoveries of the pre- 
eiousness of faith are made in the conduct of 
Abraham. Moses, Joshua, Elijah, Samuel and 
Daniel. 

Why is it, brethren, that in the Scriptures 
so much stress is laid on faith ? We reply, 
for this simple reason, that without faith it is 
impossible to please God. Faith lays hold on 
the strength of Jehovah ! He says to feeble 
man, " Take hold of my strength, and thou 
shalt make peace with me.' 5 It is this grace 
which disposes us to lie at the feet of the Re- 
deemer, depending for pardon and justification 
by the merits of his atonement. There is no 
other medium by which we can approach the 
throne of the Eternal, but by him who is made 
our sacrifice. This faith explains to us what 
is meant by the ladder, which Jacob saw in a 
vision, the foot of which stood on the earth, 
its top reaching to heaven, and on which the 
angels of heaven ascended and descended. If 



POWER OF FAITH. 



25 



we desire a holy intercourse with God in glo- 
ry, it must be made through Him in whom it 
pleased the Father, that all fulness should 
dwell. 

Ye, who have an interest at the throne of 
grace, ye, who believe in the power of the 
prayer of faith, and in the necessity of the 
energy of the Holy Ghost to awaken the con- 
science and regenerate the hearts of sinners, 
be frequent in earnest supplication, that show- 
ers of grace may descend in copious measure, 
that revivals of religion may continue to in- 
crease, till the whole earth shall become as the 
paradise of God in glory. While you reflect 
that you are but feeble and dependent crea- 
tures, do not forget that the Lord offers to you 
through the prayer of faith, the energy of the 
Holy Spirit, by whose influence you may 
make rapid progress in the path of duty, glori- 
fying Him in your body and in your spirit 

which are his. In extolling the excellence of 
3* 



26 



POWER OF FAITH. 



faith, it has not been our intention to depreci- 
ate any other grace. The great Andrew Ful- 
ler has well remarked that (i grace is like 
chained shot, when one enters it makes room 
for the entrance of all." Thus is it in regen- 
eration ; when the proud will is subdued and 
one grace enters the heart, all the others fol- 
low in the train. Paul thus names the fruits 
of the Spirit ; " Love, joy, peace, long-suffer- 
ing, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, tem- 
perance." How happy that Christian whose 
heart is under the full influence of holy faith. 
Such a Christian may exult in the language of 
Watts : 

u God is mine all-sufficient good, 

My portion and my choice, 
In him my vast desires are filled, 

And all my powers rejoice." 

Fellow-mortals, unbelievers, ye who live 
carelessly, neglecting God and religion, awake 
from your stupor, lest suddenly ye drop into 



POWER OF FAITH. 27 

hell. Hear ye the counsel of the apostle 
James ; " Be afflicted, and mourn and weep. 
Let your laughter be turned into mourning, 
and your joy to heaviness." Repent with- 
out delay, lest ye die in your sins. 



CHAPTER III. 



AUTHORITY OF CHRIST TO PARDON SINNERS, 

Mark ii. 10. 

THAT YE MAY KNOW THAT THE SON OF MAN 
HATH POWER ON EARTH TO FORGIVE SINS. 

On a certain occasion the friends of a man 
who was taken with a palsy, presented him 
before Jesus for healing. He perceived their 
faith and said to the man, " Son, thy sins be 
forgiven thee." The Jews who were present 
were offended, that Jesus should dare to as- 
sume this power. To convince them that he 
had this authority, he wrought a miracle, and 
said to the sick of the palsy, " Arise, and take 
up thy bed and go thy way into thy house." 
The man did so, to the astonishment of the 



AUTHORITY OF CHRIST. 29 

Jews. The inference is plain, that if Jesus in 
his state of humiliation on earth had power to 
forgive sins, he can now exercise the same 
high prerogative in his glorious exaltation in 
Heaven. Paul in exhorting his Colossian 
brethren to the duty of mutual forgiveness, 
uses these words, "forbearing one another, and 
forgiving one another, if any man have a quar- 
rel against any ; even as Christ forgave you, 
so also do ye." In another passage this duty 
is thus enforced, " Even as God for Christ's 
sake hath forgiven you." What nobler mo- 
tive could induce us to the duty of mutual for- 
giveness, than the example of God and his 
Son ? 

The way in which pardon is communicated 
to the sinner, is through repentance and faith 
in Jesus Christ. The exhortation in the Gos- 
pel is, repent, that your sins may be forgiven. 
The faith which we must exercise is illustrat- 
ed in the case of Abraham, who believed God., 



30 



AUTHORITY OF CHRIST 



and it was counted unto him for righteousness. 
This does not mean, that his faith was actual- 
ly his righteousness, but that it was so ac- 
counted by God in consequence of his grace 

manifested in Jesus Christ. What was it that 
P 

Abraham believed ? God had promised to him, 
" In thee and in thy seed shall all the families 
of the earth be blessed." Abraham believed 
this promise, and thus exercised faith in the 
Messiah who was to come. Jesus therefore 
said to the Jews, " Your father Abraham re- 
joiced to see my day, and he saw it and was 
glad." It was in consequence of his faith, 
thus taking hold of Christ and his righteous- 
ness, that it is said that his faith was counted 
to him for righteousness. Now the difference 
between faith and works is thus illustrated by 
Paul to the Romans ; " Now to him that 
worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, 
but of debt. But to him that worketh not, 
but believeth on him that justifieth the ungod- 



TO PARDON SINNERS. 



31 



]y, his faith is counted for righteousness." 
Thus we see, how it is, that in consequence 
of union with Jesus Christ, a sinner may be 
justified without the deeds of the law. Watts, 
in view of this delightful doctrine thus ex- 
claims, 

" Jesus ! how glorious is thy grace ! 

When in thy name we trust, 
Our faith receives a righteousness, 

Which makes the sinner just." 

Clear views of this truth bring the soul into 
the light and liberty of the Gospel, and by it 
we have communion with God and fellowship 
with Jesus Christ, having redemption through 
his blood according to the riches of his love. 

Believers in Jesus Christ, ye who know 
your interest in his salvation, bow your hearts 
in deep humility in the study of that revela- 
tion, which brings to you this testimonial of 
the love of God to your souls. Cherish in 
your hearts that holy gratitude, which will 



32 AUTHORITY OF CHRIST. 

incline you to keep his commandments, and 
by constant and persevering obedience to abide 
in his love. Remember the words of Jesus, 
" He that endureth to the end shall be 
saved." 



CHAPTER IV. 



TRAITS OF MORAL CHARACTER, 

Malachi iii. 18. 

THEN SHALL YE DISCERN BETWEEN THE RIGHTE- 
OUS AND THE WICKED, BETWEEN HIM WHO 
SERVETH GOD AND HIM WHO SERVETH HIM 
NOT. 

The text is a prophecy of what shall take 
place in a season of Revival. There is at 
such a time a manifest difference discerned in 
the moral character of men. Persons of dif- 
ferent opinions arrange themselves in distinct 
ranks. In the view of some persons of timid 
moral feeling, this seems to be a fearful omen. 
They dread the excitement and the opposition 

which will occur. They imagine it to be the 
4 



34 TRAITS OF MORAL CHARACTER. 

destruction of good society, and hazardous to 
the cause of religion; but such persons need 
not be apprehensive of fearful consequences. 
It is a circumstance highly favorable to genu- 
ine piety, when men take sides. Those who 
have no religion learn what is their true cha- 
racter, and they find themselves without the 
limits of vital Christianity. They had here- 
tofore been wholly unacquainted with them- 
selves, having no proper conviction of the feel- 
ings of their own hearts in reference to a pre- 
paration for eternity. Perhaps they had been 
accustomed to hear the preaching of a man, 
who had taught them to depend on an exter- 
nally fair moral character, and who had never 
told them of the necessity of regeneration, and 
the indispensable importance of genuine faith 
in Jesus Christ. In a revival of true religion, 
these persons observe their friends and ac- 
quaintance to become the subject of a series 
of exercises of mind and heart, which is to them 



TRAITS OF MORAL CHARACTER. 35 



surprising. Their opposition and sometimes 
their wrath are excited against their nearest 
friends, and especially will their anger be great- 
ly enkindled against the preacher, who tells 
them of the danger of impenitence and unbe- 
lief. But is it not a happy circumstance, that 
persons should know, what is their moral cha- 
racter in reference to another state of exist- 
ence ? Shall we spend this life in amassing 
wealth, in music and dancing and laughter and 
merriment, and never sit down seriously to 
consider, whether such a course will prepare 
us for blessedness in heaven ? 

We are accustomed to believe, that we are 
destined to a state of immortality beyond the 
tomb. The man who should tell us that death 
is the end of our existence, would be viewed 
as a monster in human shape. But have we 
duly considered, what will be the state of so- 
ciety in the future world ? Men appear to die 
with the same moral character, which they 



36 TRAITS OF MORAL CHARACTER. 

sustained in this world ; but how different is 
the temper of their minds ! Do we promis- 
cuously meet those with whose feelings and 
pursuits we can cordially sympathize, and with 
whom we should be willing to live in a state 
of endless intimacy ? The great question 
therefore, ought to be decided, what will be 
our condition in the future world ? The ene- 
mies of God, the supercilious and the proud, 
cannot enter heaven, where all is delight in 
God and submission to his will. 



CHAPTER V. 



DANGER OF UNBELIEF. 

Acts xiii. 40, 41. 

BEWARE, LEST THAT COME UPON YOU, WHICH IS 
SPOKEN OF IN THE PROPHETS j BEHOLD, YE 
DESPISERS, AND WONDER, AND PERISH I FOR I 
WORK A WORK IN YOUR DAYS, A WORK WHICH 
YE SHALL IN NO WISE BELIEVE, THOUGH A 
MAN DECLARE IT UNTO YOU. 

Were it not for the ancient records in the 
holy Scriptures, the aversion to religion which 
is discoverable in the present day would ap- 
pear more like a new thing. This opposition 
began at the fall of man, and was apparent in 
the spirit of Satan, who envied the happiness 
which he saw in the garden of Eden. This 
4* 



38 DANGER OF UNBELIEF. 



spirit soon discovered itself in the conduct of 
Cain, who hated his brother Abel, and slew 
him. And wherefore slew he him ? The 
Scripture informs us. " Because his own 
works were evil, and his brother's righteous." 
The same enmity of the natural heart is always 
more rampant in revivals of genuine religion, 
and is not therefore to be wondered at in our 
own times. 

Those who assert, that revivals of religion 
are the work of mere excitement of the pas- 
sions of credulous women, and children, and 
men of nervous temperament, understand nei- 
ther what they say, nor whereof they affirm. 
Had they examined the New Testament with 
a candid mind, they would have seen that 
the apostle Paul, himself a monument of the 
grace of God, a man of a firm and logical 
mind, was a decided and zealous preacher of 
the gospel. 

The text is a part of the sermon, which 



DANGER OF UNBELIEF. 



39 



Paul preached at Antioch to a synagogue of 
Jews. He warned thern to beware of that 
unbelief, the cherishing of which would be 
visited by the divine displeasure. Some of 
the Jews believed from his discourses to them 
afterwards, but the great majority of them re- 
jected his testimony. Many of the Gentiles 
believed, and attended his ministry with glad- 
ness. This revival of religion amons; the Gen- 
tiles at Antioch excited the envy of the Jews, 
and they raised a persecution against Paul and 
Barnabas, who was with him, and expelled 
them from their coasts. 

Whoever will examine the New Testament 
with an impartial mind, will discover plenary 
evidence, that revivals of religion have always 
been produced by the energy and grace of the 
Holy Spirit. It was the promise of our Sa- 
viour in his last discourse to his disciples pre- 
vious to his death, that he would send them 
another Comforter, the Holy Ghost, who 



40 DANGER OF UNBELIEF. 

should convince the world of sin, righteousness 
and judgment. Of sin, said he, because they 
believe not on me. Here the great sin of infi- 
delity is placed by Jesus himself in a promi- 
nent point of view. As it is the chief cause of 
all the iniquity committed under the Gospel, 
it is presented as the guilt, against which the 
principal labors of his ministers are to be di- 
rected. Were it not for this unbelief in the 
hearts of men, the number of the despisers of 
religion would be greatly diminished. The 
Scripture solemnly warns such persons in this 
language, " Be ye not mockers, lest your 
bands be made strong." It is the fearful con- 
sequence of a contempt of the Gospel, that the 
bands of the scorner will be made strong. He 
will find, as he continues of this temper of 
mind, that his hardness and impenitence will 
increase. How kind then is the warning, that 
we make not the things of God and religion 
those which we despise, and reject from our 



DANGER OF UNBELIEF* 41 



careful attention. Jesus said to his disciples, 
when he sent them forth to preach his Gospel, 
" he that despiseth you despiseth me, and he 
that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me. 
And into whatsoever city or house ye shall 
enter, and they receive you not, when ye de- 
part out of that house or city, shake off the 
dust of your feet against them. Verily I say 
unto you, it shall be more tolerable for Sodom 
and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for 
that city." What an awful citation is here 
made by Jesus Christ to the day when he 
shall judge the world, presiding as the judge 
of the living and the dead. Let those who 
make the fearful threatenings of the Gospel 
against the impenitent the subjects of their 
sport and merriment, carefully examine the 
New Testament, before they meet in eternity 
the God against whom they blaspheme. 



CHAPTER VI. 



RELIGIOUS CHEERFULNESS. 

Ephesians v. 18, 19. 

BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT ; SPEAKING TO 
YOURSELVES IN PSALMS, AND HYMNS, AND 
SPIRITUAL SONGS, SINGING AND MAKING MEL- 
ODY IN YOUR HEARTS TO THE LORD. 

Persons unacquainted with vital religion 
frequently object to revivals, because, say 
they, the persons who at such seasons are the 
subjects of a work of grace, become melan- 
choly and unsocial. Let us examine this 
charge. When we consider the carelessness 
of the multitudes, who are pressing to the 
grave and eternity, it cannot fail to excite fear- 
ful apprehensions respecting their inattention 



RELIGIOUS CHEERFULNESS. 43 

to religion. Do we not recollect in the vision 
that Ezekiel saw, during the great degeneracy 
of Israel, when a fearful slaughter was com- 
manded to be made through the city, that a 
man clothed with linen was commanded to set 
a mark on the men, that sighed and cried on 
account of the abominations, that were com- 
mitted in the midst of the land, and that every 
man who had the designated mark on his 
forehead, should remain unhurt in the ca- 
lamitous slaughter ? Thus has it been in 
every age till the present time, that the 
wretched state of the ungodly has deeply af- 
fected the hearts of the pious. This must be 
one apology for their occasional heaviness of 
heart. There are, however, seasons of joy 
and gladness among the saints. 

The passage selected above is the command 
of inspiration, that in the social and public 
worship of Christians, they should rejoice with 
singing and gladness, making melody in their 



44 RELIGIOUS CHEERFULNESS. 



hearts unto the Lord. In a delightful season 
of revival, we have witnessed the cheerful 
songs of the new converts, who have become 
the glad children of Zion. The aged and the 
young have united in obeying the command, 
" Be glad in the Lord, ye righteous, and give 
thanks at the remembrance of his holiness." 
Apprehending the glorious perfections of God, 
they have deeply felt the obligation of grati- 
tude and praise for the salvation, which he has 
revealed through the Son of his love. Re- 
peated instances of this holy worship have 
brought to happy remembrance a pleasing 
passage in the Canticles, " The winter is past, 
the flowers appear on the earth, the time of 
the singing of birds has come, and the voice 
of the turtle dove is heard in our land." 
These occasional seasons of holy worship are 
more enchanting to the gracious heart, than 
would be the sweetest song of the nightingale, 



RELIGIOUS CHEERFULNESS. 45 

filling the soul with the recollection of a verse 
in Watts, 

" My willing soul would stay 

In such a frame as this, 
And sit and sing herself away 

To everlasting bliss." 

It is difficult to imagine, how it is that persons 
of understanding, who possess the lovely sym- 
pathies of common humanity, can fail to be 
deeply affected with devotional meetings of 
this character. 

With reference to the charge of melancholy, 
it must be considered that persons who are 
newly awakened, and begin to feel their guilt 
and just condemnation, cannot fail to be un- 
commonly cast down, till they apprehend the 
way of safety by faith in Jesus Christ. When 
this is clearly discovered, they rejoice in him 
with joy unspeakable and full of glory 5 then 
it is that they rejoice with joy and singing. It 
is this joy in God which will answer the ques- 
5 



46 RELIGIOUS CHEERFULNESS. 

tion of Nicodemus, " How can a man be born 
again when he is old ?" 

But, alas ! the excitement of a revival ! 
Who can bear this ? Reader, if you are a 
man of the world and a man of business, what 
important action have you ever achieved with- 
out excitement ? You know the excitement 
of a good bargain, how has it called up all 
your feelings, and you know the depression of 
a bad bargain ; and you know that you have 
voluntarily paid great amounts of money in the 
aggregate, merely for the purpose of getting 
excitement. How much has vain company- 
keeping cost you ? How much have theatri- 
cal entertainments cost you ? And what has 
all this done for you ? Has any of all this 
nonsense satisfied your soul ? Have you ob- 
tained that peace of conscience, which will 
cause you to look on the tomb and an endless 
eternity with pleasure ? Will you content 
yourselves with any and every vain excite- 



RELIGIOUS CHEERFULNESS. 47 



ment, while you neglect to seek salvation in 
Christ Jesus ? Dare you make the fearful 
hazard ? Examine seriously before you meet 
God in eternity, disembodied. 



CHAPTER VII. 



JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH IN CHRIST. 

Acts xiii. 38, 39. 

BE IT KNOWN UNTO YOU THEREFORE, MEN AND 
BRETHREN, THAT THROUGH THIS MAN IS 
PREACHED UNTO YOU THE FORGIVENESS OF 
sins: AND BY HIM ALL THAT BELIEVE ARE 
JUSTIFIED FROM ALL THINGS, FROM "WHICH 
YE COULD NOT BE JUSTIFIED BY THE LAW OF 
MOSES. 

It is the peculiar glory of Revelation, that 
it makes known a fact hidden from former 
ages, that there is forgiveness with God, the 
pardon of sins, according to the riches of his 
grace. The inventive genius of the wisest 
men in the heathen world had been intensely- 
exercised to discover a religion, which w T ould 
give them peace of conscience, and the certain 



FAITH IN CHRIST. 49 

prospect of happiness after death. The futil- 
ity of all their reasonings upon the subject 
was apparent from the fact, that their imagi- 
nations created a multiplicity of divinities, some 
of which they presented in the form of idols, 
of beasts and reptiles, whom they worshipped 
with the grossest indecencies. And though 
the light of nature which they enjoyed, was 
sufficient to convict them of their folly and 
wickedness, yet their corrupt propensities in- 
clined them to persevere in their madness, that 
they might excuse themselves in the commis- 
sion of the most degrading vices. Thus was 
it made manifest, that the world by wisdom 
knew not God. Paul in alluding to this sub- 
ject, thus triumphantly inquires, " Hath not 
God made foolish the wisdom of this world ? 
For after that, in the wisdom of God, the world 
by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by 
the foolishness of preaching to save them that 

believed." His infinite wisdom and grace 
5* 



50 JUSTIFICATION THROUGH 



were manifested in the gift of his Son, as the 
Redeemer of lost men. When there was no 
created power that could extend salvation to 
our apostate race, God laid our help on his 
Son, who was mighty to save even to the ut- 
termost, all who come unto him in the name 
of Jesus. How wonderful the method of re- 
demption, through which God reveals his 
grace to a guilty world ! Is it reasonable to 
believe, that it cost no effort in the Divine 
Mind to give his Son a sacrifice for sin ? Re- 
velation assures us, that God is actuated by 
the noblest motives and holiest impulses. It 
is declared by inspiration, that "He is love 
and this unspeakable love is manifested in the 
gift of his Son, as a ransom and sacrifice for 
sinners. 

Different opinions have been entertained as 
to the ground of the sinner's justification and for- 
giveness. Some have supposed, that after his 
regeneration, he is justified on the ground of 



FAITH IN CHRIST. 



51 



his submission to God. Others have imagined, 
that repentance may be the plea for his for- 
giveness. Neither of these ideas, however, 
gives adequate honor to the violated law of God, 
and the indignity cast upon his moral govern- 
ment. Hence it was rendered necessary that 
Jesus Christ should assume human nature, and 
yield an obedience unto death, that the recti- 
tude of God's moral government might be 
maintained. In consequence of his accom- 
plishment of this work, God can now justify 
every believing sinner, having promised that 
this faith shall be accounted for righteousness ; 
so that in the language of Paul, God can now 
be just and justify him who believeth in Jesus. 
How simple and gracious, how honorary to 
God and how safe for the believer, is this me- 
thod of salvation ! 

" The moment a sinner believes, 

And trusts in his crucified God, 
His pardon at once he receives, 

Redemption in full through his blood. 



52 JUSTIFICATION THROUGH 

It is in consequence of the dignity of Jesus 
as the co-equal and co-eternal Son of God, 
that his vindication of the law and moral go- 
vernment of the Father is accepted ; and it is 
for the same reason, that his sufferings as a 
Mediator and his obedience unto death are of 
infinite efficacy, in the free forgiveness and 
justification of every penitent, believing sinner. 
With what eloquence and power does inspira- 
tion speak, in contrasting the offerings under 
the legal dispensation with the atonement of 
Christ. " If the blood of bulls and goats and 
the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, 
sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh, how 
much more shall the blood of Christ, who 
through the eternal Spirit offered himself with- 
out spot unto God, purge your conscience from 
dead works to serve the living God ?" And 
again it is said of Jesus, that " when he had 
by himself purged our sins, he sat down on 
the right hand of the Majesty on high, from 



FAITH IN CHRIST. 



53 



henceforth expecting till his enemies be made 
his footstool." What a glorious exaltation has 
Jesus obtained at the right hand of his Father 
in glory, by the sacrifice of himself for the sins 
of men. Reader, here draw a contrast with 
the Man of Nazareth, he who had not where 
to lay his head, so poor that women minister- 
ed to his necessities, so traduced that he was 
said to have an evil spirit, mocked and 
despised by the chief priests and rulers among 
the Jews, arraigned and condemned at the bar 
of Pilate, and ignominiously crucified on the 
cross, contrast, we say, with this dishonored 
Redeemer of sinners, Him who is now en- 
throned at the right hand of his Father in hea- 
ven ; and again pursue the contrast, until you 
view this Jesus descending in the clouds of 
heaven in the glory of his Father and the holy 
angels, to judge the world, and decide the 
destinies of the millions, whom he will raise 
from the dead. How glorious does Jesus ap- 



54 JUSTIFICATION THROUGH 

pear in his condescension, when we place it 
in comparison with his infinite dignity as the 
God of glory, the Creator and Governor of 
the universe ? His Deity appears in these 
w 7 ords of inspiration that " he offered himself 
through the eternal Spirit, and that by himself 
he purged or put away our sins." Here we 
see an exertion of power beyond the capacity 
of a created being. Of what intelligence in 
heaven or on earth could it be said, that by 
his own independent agency, or by himself he 
atoned for sin ? In the view of the glory of 
Christ as the Redeemer of sinners, can we 
wonder at the rapture which fills the souls of 
the redeemed in heaven ? Well may their 
song be justified, " Unto Him who loved us, 
and hath washed us from our sins in his own 
blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto 
God and his Father, to Him be glory and 
honor, dominion and praise forever and ever." 



FAITH IN CHRIST. 



55 



Dr. Young in contemplating this sublime 
exhibition of Jehovah's mercy, thus rapturous- 
ly exclaims, 

" And what is this ? survey the wondrous cure, 
And at each step let higher wonder rise ! 
Pardon for infinite offence ! and pardon 
Through means that speak its value infinite ! 
A pardon bought with blood ! with blood divine ! 
With blood divine of him I made my foe ! 
Persisted to provoke ! though wooed and awed, 
Blest and chastised, a flagrant rebel still ; 
A rebel 'midst the thunders of his throne 1 
Nor I alone ! a rebel universe." 



CHAPTER VIII. 



THE ENERGY OF THE HOLY GHOST. 

Romans xv. 19, 
THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD. 

Regeneration is always effected by the 
energy and grace of the Holy Ghost ; and as 
his sovereign influence is often brought to view 
in the Scriptures, it may be profitable to no- 
tice the manner in which his agency operates 
on the hearts of men. When some important 
object is about to be accomplished in the 
church, the Holy Spirit arrests the attention, 
and stirs up the courage of his friends to en- 
gage in the work. When God had determin- 
ed to deliver his people in Egypt from the 
cruel bondage of Pharaoh, Moses and Aaron 



ENERGY OF THE HOLY GHOST. 57 



were employed under divine influence to go 
in unto the king, and inform him that they 
must go into the wilderness to do sacrifice unto 
the God of the Hebrews. The cruel mon- 
archy however, would not listen to their re- 
quest, until ten plagues were brought upon the 
guilty land : and when at last he consented to 
their departure from Egypt, his heart became 
so hardened that he regretted the liberty which 
he had given them, and endeavoured to bring 
them back into slavery, pursuing them with 
his chariots and army in their passage through 
the Red Sea. The sea, however, overwhelm- 
ed the despot and his minions, and Israel, safe 
on the distant shore, sang the praises of the 
God of their deliverance. Numerous other 
instances are named in the history of the an- 
cient church of God, in which he interposed 
for the overthrow of his enemies, and the sal- 
vation of his friends. What a noble example 
is presented in the brief notice of the prophet 
6 



58 ENERGY OF THE HOLY GHOST. 



Elijah. In consequence of the prayer of faith 
offered by him, and as a judgment inflicted on 
the wickedness of the people, the heavens 
were shut three years and six months, so that 
there was no rain on the land of Israel ; but 
at the end of these days the Spirit of God 
came upon him, and he prayed again, and the 
heavens gave rain. When the copious show- 
ers descended, the same Spirit came upon him 
with power, and he girded himself and ran in 
triumph before the chariot of Ahab. This 
salvation of Israel was accompanied by the 
destruction of four hundred and fifty of the 
prophets of Baah 

From the beo-inning of the sacred record of 
the creation of the world named in Genesis, 
to the closing of the book of God in Revela- 
tion, we notice the operations of the same 
Spirit. When darkness covered the deep, the 
Spirit of God moved upon the face of the 
w 7 aters, and he said, " Let there be light, and 



ENERGY OF THE HOLY GHOST. 59 



there was light." In Revelation, the gracious 
invitation of the gospel is thus given, (C The 
Spirit and the bride say come, and let him that 
heareth say come, and whosoever will, let him 
take of the water of life freely." 

But it is the gracious energy of the Holy 
Spirit on the hearts of men, that we would 
more particularly consider. It is his power 
which arrests the attention of careless sinners, 
to consider the necessity of the pardon of sin. 
It is his power which enlightens the mind to 
discover its evil, and the justice of God in its 
punishment. The same energy opens the 
understanding and the heart, to apprehend the 
glory of Jesus Christ and the efficacy of his 
atonement, inclining the heart to believe in 
him as the only medium of access to God. 
None but the happy souls who have exercised 
this faith, can apprehend the joy with which 
it fills the believing heart. These persons 
seem to themselves to have entered a new 



60 ENERGY OF THE HOLY GHOST. 

world. It is well recorded by Paul, " If any 
man be in Christ, he is a new creature." 
Some would translate the passage a new crea- 
tion. They have new views of their own 
hearts, of the odiousness of sin, and of the 
beauty of holiness. Their views of God and 
of Christ are entirely new. If they look on 
the earth in its fragrance, or on the heavens 
as they roll in their grandeur, in the immen- 
sity of the worlds which are seen on a clear 
evening, in all these they see the majesty and 
the glory of the God of their salvation. In 
the fruitful field which the Lord has blessed, 
in the flowing waters, in the loaded fruit-tree, 
and in the song of beautiful birds, the new man 
apprehends new causes of gratefuradmiration 
of their glorious Creator. In the language of 
Pope, he 

" Sees God in clouds, and hears him in the wind." 

The experience of President Edwards is a 
happy illustration of this thought. In his ac- 



ENERGY OF THE HOLY GHOST. 61 



count of his exercises after conversion, he thus 
speaks ; — C6 Scarcely anything, among all the 
works of nature, was so delightful to me as 
thunder and lightning : formerly, nothing had 
been so terrible to me. Before, I used to be 
uncommonly terrified with thunder, and to be 
struck with terror when I saw a thunder-storm 
arising ; but now, on the contrary, it rejoiced 
me. I felt God, so to speak, at the first ap- 
pearance of a thunder-storm, and used to take 
the opportunity at such times, to fix myself in 
order to view the clouds and see the light- 
nings play, and hear the majestic and awful 
voice of God's thunder, which often-times was 
exceedingly entertaining, leading me to sweet 
contemplations of my great and glorious God." 

In addition to all this blessedness, they dis- 
cover an incomparable excellence, a benignity 
and a majesty in the Scriptures, which they 
never before perceived. The illustrations of 
the character of God, of Jesus Christ and of 
6* 



62 ENERGY OF THE HOLY GHOST. 

the Holy Spirit, afford them inexpressible de- 
light. The richness of the promises, the sup- 
ports which they are encouraged to expect in 
the path of duty, and the felicities which are 
promised them in the heavenly world, some- 
times transport their hearts beyond the limits 
of the visible world. Now, when all this holy 
pleasure is considered as being communicated 
by the Spirit of God, and that this Spirit is 
promised in abundant measure to the humble 
prayer of faith, how diligently ought we to seek 
this communion with God, with which his glory 
is so intimately associated. It is this commu- 
nion which strengthens the Christian to every 
duty, making the yoke of Christ easy, and 
his burden light. 

From the strength and grace which the 
Holy Ghost communicated to the primitive 
preachers of the gospel, we see the necessity 
in which the ministers of the same gospel now 
stand, of a like influence in the discharge of 



ENERGY OF THE HOLY GHOST. 63 



their peculiar duties. It may be well asked 
in this connection, how can they preach, ex- 
cept they are sent of God ? We have in the 
present day a large number who call them- 
selves the ministers of Christ ; but if, in the 
Spirit of New Testament charity, we should 
deduct from this number those who do not 
preach the gospel with clearness, how com- 
paratively small would be the class of men 
who give full evidence of their commission 
from Christ ! Where do we see the zeal of 
Paul, which transported him from cities to 
countries and from countries to cities, that he 
might preach to men who had never heard of 
the Saviour of sinners ? How few are the her- 
alds of the gospel, who may be considered like 
* Barnabas, a man full of faith and of the 
Holy Ghost ?" When he preached under this 
influence, much people was added unto the 
Lord. What a noble testimony is given to 
the familiar conversations and preaching of 



64 ENERGY OF THE HOLY GHOST. 

Jesus Christ, in these words, " The common 
people heard him gladly !" He did not preach 
to them abstruse metaphysics, nor the vain 
principles of human philosophy with which 
some preachers amuse their hearers. No ! he 
delivered to them the truths of God with great 
plainness, and with a dignity which arrested 
the conscience, and reached the heart. Paul 
says, " Take heed lest any man spoil you 
through philosophy and vain deceit, after the 
traditions of men, after the rudiments of the 
world, and not after Christ." There is no- 
thing in revealed religion which is contrary to 
the principles of sound philosophy : but when 
worldly wise men substitute a false standard, 
and call it by this name, we must judge of the 
soundness of their principles by the test which 
the Scriptures afford us. " If they speak not 
according to this word, it is because there is 
no light in them." 

The most glorious manifestation of the 



ENERGY OF THE HOLY GHOST. 65 



Spirit of God is seen in Jesus Christ. When 
Peter preached at the house of Cornelius to 
the Gentiles there assembled, he began his 
discourse by stating that " God anointed Jesus 
of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with 
power." This anointing was typified in the 
old dispensation by the anointing, w 7 hich pro- 
phets and kings received at their inauguration. 
When Jesus commenced his ministry, he an- 
nounced it in the temple by reading to the 
people his commission, as recorded by the 
prophet Isaiah thus ; " The Spirit of the 
Lord God is upon me ; because the Lord hath 
anointed me to preach good tidings unto the 
meek : he hath sent me to bind up the broken- 
hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives 
and the opening of the prison to them that 
are bound : to proclaim the acceptable year 
of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our 
God ; to comfort all that mourn ; to appoint 
unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto 



66 ENERGY OF THE HOLY GHOST. 

them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for 
mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit 
of heaviness ; that they might be called trees 
of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, 
that he might be glorified." After reading 
this passage, he said to the people, " This day 
is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears. And 
all bear him witness, and wondered at the 
gracious words which proceeded out of his 
mouth." We have often wished while read- 
ing this account, that Luke had given us the 
discourse which the Lord then delivered. 
No doubt it was a sermon full of grace and 
truth. 

A happy portion of this anointing by the 
Holy Spirit is undoubtedly communicated to 
every qualified minister of the gospel ; and it 
is their duty to be full of faith and of the Holy 
Ghost, as was Barnabas of old. In order to 
obtain large portions of this Spirit, they must 
be men of prayer, having intimate communion 



ENERGY OF THE HOLY GHOST. 67 



with God. Every Christian ought to be 
deeply engaged in seeking his guidance, 
" whom God hath given to them that obey 
him." Our Lord has commanded us to 
watch and pray, lest we enter into temptation. 
The heart, sinfully inclined to start aside like 
the deceitful bow, must be guarded with the 
greatest diligence. Satan, the arch-deceiver, 
is ever ready to ensnare us by his wiles, that 
he may destroy our souls, and for this purpose 
he will employ the world with all its allure- 
ments to urge our passage on the broad road 
to ruin. 

Christians, is it your earnest desire to see 
the continuance and the progress of true reli- 
gion ? Behold the arm of your strength, the 
power of the Spirit of God. You are assured 
by the Saviour of sinners, that God is more 
ready to give his Holy Spirit to those who ask 
him, than earthly parents are to give good 
things to their children. It is his power that 



68 ENERGY OF THE HOLY GHOST. 



awakens the conscience of the careless, caus- 
ing them to apprehend the perdition, which 
awaits their perseverance in sin. The same 
power leads the penitent to the cross of Christ, 
and the same energy enables the believer to 
persevere unto life eternal. Seek this influ- 
ence continually, and with all the heart, and 
you will know the nature of the blessed- 
ness of the heavenly world. If ye be spiritu- 
ally minded, ye shall have life and peace. 
Your souls will mount as on eagles 5 wings, 
and with good old Simeon, each of you will 
be ready to say, " Lord, now T lettest thou thy 
servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have 
seen thy salvation." 



CHAPTER IX. 



NO RELIGION WITHOUT LOVE. 

I. John iv. 7. 

BELOVED, LET US LOVE ONE ANOTHER I FOR LOVE 
IS OF GOD ; AND EVERY ONE THAT LOVETH IS 
BORN OF GOD AND KNOWETH GOD. 

Revivals of religion and practical godliness 

are the glory of the church, and the safety of 

the world. They are the glory of the church, 

because they furnish evident tokens of the 

presence of the Holy Spirit in his awakening 

and renewing operations on the minds and 

hearts of sinners. These gracious influences 

were promised by the Saviour, a short time 

before his crucifixion. When he was about 

to withdraw his visible presence from his dis- 
7 



70 NO RELIGION WITHOUT LOVE. 

ciples, he kindly assured them, that he would 
not leave them comfortless, but would send 
them another Comforter who should abide 
with them forever, and bring to their remem- 
brance all things, which he had said to them. 
He had commanded them to tarry in the city 
of Jerusalem, till he should endue them with 
power from on high. On the day of Pente- 
cost he gave them the most satisfactory assur- 
ance, that he was in heaven on his throne of 
grace, by fulfilling his promise that he would 
send them his Holy Spirit, whose sacred influ- 
ence qualified them to preach the gospel with 
holy energy. Three thousand were convert- 
ed under the first sermon which Peter preach- 
ed, and the same power attended the missions 
of his twelve apostles, the Lord working with 
them and confirming the word by signs follow- 
ing. We repeat, that revivals of true religion 
are the glory of the church, on account of their 
happy effects. They increase the felicity of 



NO RELIGION WITHOUT LOVE. 71 



all who partake of their influence, because 
every individual Christian is a partaker of the 
fruits of the Spirit in the new and gracious 
exercises, with which his heart and mind are 
imbued. One of these graces is named in the 
passage on which we comment, called love. 
Undoubtedly the apostle John meant holy 
love, because God is its author, and it is said 
to be a peculiar property of his holy nature. 
It is not possible, that any affection of which 
the human soul is susceptible, can impart more 
felicity to an individual, than the holy love of 
which John speaks. He was himself a remark- 
able example of the loveliness of this affection, 
as it was a most distinguishing trait of his own 
character. He is called by way of eminence, 
the disciple whom Jesus loved, and whom he 
permitted to lean on his breast in his last sup- 
per with his disciples. Our text assures us, 
that every one who loveth in the sense of 
which we speak is born of God ; that is, he is 



72 NO RELIGION WITHOUT LOVE. 



brought by regeneration into a likeness with 
the God of love ; and this individual is said 
to know God. Of the unregenerate it is said, 
that they know not God, having no clear per- 
ception of the purity and loveliness of his na- 
ture. How clearly does this ratify the truth 
which Jesus taught Nicodemus ; " Marvel not 
that I said unto thee, ye must be born again." 
Nicodemus, though a master in Israel, appear- 
ed not to understand the truth which the Sa- 
viour taught him ; but he was told that a 
natural birth was not spoken of, but a being 
born of the Spirit of God. Were the holy 
love of which we speak to be the ruling prin- 
ciple in the heart of every professing Christian, 
would not the world in which we live be^a 
delightful resemblance of the heaven in which 
God displays his glory ? If the full influence 
of true religion is calculated thus to transform 
this mundane sphere, how incessant should be 
the prayers of the children of God, that revi- 



NO RELIGION WITHOUT LOVE. 73 

vals of genuine piety may extend their felic- 
itous influence over the whole earth ! No- 
thing under the whole heaven could more 
fully display the moral character of God, than 
the manifestation of this religion in its holy 
tendency on the hearts and in the lives of 
men. 

We assert, that this religion is the safety 
of the world. What was the cause of the 
destruction of the old world ? Was it not, 
because all flesh had corrupted its way before 
God ? Why were Sodom and Gomorrah visit- 
ed with the rain of fire and brimstone, burying 
the cities and their inhabitants in a fearful 
destruction by the hand of God ? When 
Abraham interceded for Sodom, Jehovah as- 
sured him that ten righteous men should be 
its salvation, if they were to be found in the 
city. They were not found, and perdition 
was the result. How fearful was the visita- 
tion of wrath, which befel the Jews of Jeru- 
7* 



74 NO RELIGION WITHOUT LOVE. 

salem for their rejection and crucifixion of the 
Son of God ! In the short space of forty years 
after this event, when the people were assem- 
bled in large numbers to commemorate the 
feast of the passover, the Roman army be- 
sieged Jerusalem with great force, and con- 
fined the Jews within its limits. Jose- 
phus estimates the multitude that perished, to 
have been not less than one million one hun- 
dred thousand, destroyed by the sword, fa- 
mine, and pestilence. Had they accepted 
the counsel of the Redeemer to repent and 
humble themselves before God, their desola- 
tion might have been averted. In the reigns 
of Josiah and Hezekiah, when the wickedness 
of the people had subjected them to fearful 
punishments as a nation, their supplications 
and penitence were accepted, and their safety 
and peace conferred. 

To return to the consideration of our text, 
that love is of God, we mention an example 



NO RELIGION WITHOUT LOVE. 75 

of this as given in the words of our Saviour, 
" That God so loved the world that he gave 
his only begotten Son, that whosoever believ- 
eth in him might not perish but have everlast- 
ing life." How affecting is the thought, that 
he who was himself to be the sacrifice for sin 
should publish the truth, that he was to be the 
victim ! Who shall henceforth deny the fact, 
that love is of God ! Cold unbelieving phi- 
losophy would persuade us, that God is infi- 
nitely exalted above the influence of so at- 
tractive and tender a passion. We, however, 
deny the speculation, and believe the fact as 
Jesus has revealed it. Love is of God, as he 
is the author of this holy passion in the hearts 
of men ; and as its exercise constitutes a large 
portion of the happiness of every believer, we 
desire to see the multiplication of those revi- 
vals, by which this holy affection shall diffuse 
its blessedness throughout the world. The 
writer recollects, that in a brief conversation 



76 NO RELIGION WITHOUT LOVE. 

which he held some years since with a beloved 
minister of the gospel, the Rev. John Pit- 
man, for some time pastor of the Baptist 
church in Rehoboth, reference was had to 
the desolations of our country in the revolu- 
tionary war. Mr. Pitman remarked, that 
some of his religious friends were in great fear 
that our enemies would overcome us, and sub- 
ject our nation to the tyranny of Britain. At 
that period, great revivals were occurring in 
different portions of our States, and he took 
occasion to observe to them, that he could not 
sympathize with their apprehensions, because 
God was then giving us such wonderful mani- 
festations of his favor. 

A speedy cessation of the war and Eng- 
land's acknowledgment of our independence, 
confirmed the correctness of his remark. 



CHAPTER X. 



THE PRESENCE OF GOD WITH HIS PEOPLE. 

II. Chronicles vi. 18. 

BUT WILL GOD IN VERY DEED DWELL WITH MEN 
ON THE EARTH ? 

This question, so highly interesting to the 
happiness of the world, can be answered in 
the affirmative. Revelation confirms the fact 
in numerous instances, as well as the know- 
ledge of many happy souls in the present day. 
God himself has told us by the prophet Isaiah, 
that he dwells in the humble heart, to revive 
the spirit of the humble and the heart of the 
contrite ones. From creation to the present 
time, this truth has been well established, that 
God has manifested his favorable presence to 



78 



PRESENCE OF GOD 



the hearts of all his friends. Enoch, the 
seventh from Adam, was an illustrious exam- 
ple of the blessedness, which God can com- 
municate to the human soul. It is said of 
him, as an illustration of his familiar commu- 
nion with his Creator, that he walked with 
God. So eminent was his piety, that he was 
translated immediately to the heavenly world, 
that he should not see death. Elijah had a 
similar translation in a chariot of fire. 

We often speak of the first ages of the 
world, as if they were peculiar for the dark- 
ness of that dispensation. In many respects, 
indeed, those ages were dark, because the 
peculiar light of the gospel had not arisen with 
clearness. But in no later day have there 
been more striking examples of intimate 
communion between God and men, than was 
enjoyed in the first ages. It is said of Moses, 
that " He spake with God face to face, as a 
man talketh with his friend." What intimacy 



WITH HIS PEOPLE. 



79 



must he have had with his Creator, when he 
was with him forty days in the holy mount ! 
He was most undoubtedly strengthened in a 
very peculiar manner in order to enjoy the 
presence of God on Mount Sinai, and to re- 
ceive on tables of stone the ten command- 
ments from the hand of God. When he de- 
scended from the mountain, there was a glory 
in his countenance, so that the children of 
Israel could not steadfastly behold his face, 
which he therefore veiled, that he might the 
more familiarly speak to the people. 

The communications which God made to 
Abraham and to Jacob in visions of his glory, 
were peculiar manifestations of intimacy un- 
known in the present age. The visions of 
Isaiah and of Daniel were undoubtedly sea- 
sons of great solemnity and delight to them, 
because they saw the rising glory with which 
the Son of God would shine upon the dark 
world in the gospel day. The discoveries 



80 



PRESENCE OF GOD 



which were made to their minds, were proba- 
bly at very distant intervals. But the light 
of the gospel day in which we live, seems to 
be constant and unremitting. Paul says, " We 
use great plainness of speech ; and not as 
Moses, who put a veil on his face, so that the 
children of Israel could not steadfastly look to 
the end or meaning of the dispensation under 
which they lived, which was to be abolished. " 

Happy are they, who, in the light of the 
revivals of religion which are now prevalent, 
believingly apprehend the glory with which 
God communicates the truth, and the grace of 
the gospel to their hearts. From happy ex- 
perience they know, that God in very deed 
dwells with men on the earth. Why should 
not such persons enjoy a life of constant bless- 
edness in holy communion with God ? 

The Christian, who thus lives in constant 
intimacy and holy communion with God, may 



WITH HIS PEOPLE. 



81 



appropriate to himself the following language 
of an enlightened and devoted poet ; 

" My name is printed on his breast, 
His book of Life contains my name, 

I'd rather have it there impressed 
Than in the bright records of fame. 

When the last fire burns all things here, 
Those letters shall securely stand, 

And in the Lamb's fair book appear, 
Writ by^the Eternal Father's hand. 

Paul to the Romans says, " To be spiritually- 
minded is life and peace." Jesus promised 
the Holy Spirit to his disciples, assuring them 
that when his bodily presence should be with- 
drawn, he would send them another comforter, 
the Holy Ghost, who should abide with them 
forever. This was a promise made through 
them to believers in all ages. On another 
occasion he said to them, " If a man love me 
he will keep my words, and my Father will 
8 



82 



PRESENCE OF GOD 



love him, and we will come unto him and 
abide with him." How great then is the ob- 
ligation which rests upon Christians, to glorify 
God in their body and spirit which are his ! 
How shall this great work be accomplished, 
but by a diligent keeping of the heart ? The 
command of Christ is, " Watch and pray, lest 
ye enter into temptation." 

The first gracious exercises of a believer on 
his conversion, are peculiarly cheering to his 
heart, and in the fulness of his joy he is ready 
to imagine, that he is prepared to wing his 
way to the kingdom of glory. His heavenly 
Father, however, has a great work for him to 
do ; it is this, to show forth the praises of 
Him, who hath called him out of darkness into 
his marvellous light. Grace is not given him 
merely for his own happiness, but he is to en- 
deavor to be a light in the world, and to be 
the instrument in the conversion of others. 
He is to show the excellence of religion by a 



WITH HIS PEOPLE. 



83 



graceful temper and an amiable deportment. 
And why should he not do this ? Believers 
in Jesus, " See that ye walk circumspectly, 
not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time ;" 
doing with the whole heart what your hands 
find to do. 

Revivals of vital and practical godliness af- 
ford indubitable evidence of the presence of 
Christ with his saints, and give a reply to the 
question in our text, that God does in very 
deed dwell with men on the earth. All who 
believe in Christ, and experience the renew- 
ing grace and indwelling of the Holy Spirit, 
have the promise of eternal life. But the 
superficial Antinomian, who rests his confi- 
dence in the vain hope of a personal election 
of which he has no evidence ; and the proud 
moralist, who trusts to his regular conduct, or 
to his charities to the poor, or his imaginary 
goodness, and the Universalist, whose sole 
hope is in the false theory that all will be sav- 



84 PRESENCE OF GOD. 

ed ; each of these will find unless he repents, 
when death shall disrobe him of his mortality 
of flesh, that his soul is lost. 



CHAPTER XI. 



THE MINISTRATION OF THE SPIRIT. 

Matthew xxvii. 51. 

THE VAIL OF THE TEMPLE WAS RENT IN TWAIN, 
FROM THE TOP TO THE BOTTOM. 

This remarkable event took place at the 
hour of the crucifixion of Christ, and is full of 
meaning, prefiguring the abrogation of the 
rites and ceremonies under the Mosaic dispen- 
sation. This vail, which separated the holy 
of holies from the entrance of all persons ex- 
cept the Jewish high priest, is said to have 
been 60 feet in height and 30 feet in breadth, 
its thickness being four inches, or a hand 
breadth. Other events occurred at the same 
time, as the rending of rocks, an earthquake, 
8* 



86 MINISTRATION OF THE SPIRIT. 

and a remarkable darkness which continued 
three hours. Never did a guilty world wit- 
ness such a scene of wonders as occurred, 
when Jesus gave up the ghost on the cross. 
Dr. Young, remarking on this event, has the 
following lines — 

" The sun beheld it ! No ! 
The shocking scene drove back his chariot, 
Midnight veiled his face ! Not such as nature makes, 
A midnight nature shuddered to behold !" 

This rending of the vail of the temple was 
designed, to introduce in more fullness and 
glory the gospel of the Son of God. There 
was henceforth no more necessity for the 
ministrations of the high priest under the Le- 
vitical law. The Holy of Holies, into which 
the high priest entered but once every year 
to make typical atonement for the sins of the 
nation, was now laid open to the Jewish peo- 
ple and to all nations. Jesus Christ, the glo- 
rious High Priest under the new dispensation 



MINISTRATION OF THE SPIRIT. 87 



of the gospel, being now visibly offered as a 
sacrifice for the sins of men, is henceforth to 
be preached to all nations as the way of access 
into heaven, of which the Holy of Holies was 
the type. The resurrection of Jesus, which 
took place on the third day, not only caused 
the hearts of his disciples greatly to rejoice, 
but gave them great liberty in preaching sal- 
vation in his name. 

After his resurrection, the Saviour met his 
disciples on various occasions, giving them the 
clearest manifestations of his victory over 
death, and the grave, and the powers of dark- 
ness. He commanded them to tarry in Jeru- 
salem, till they should be endued with power 
from on high. He had previously intimated 
to them, that when his bodily presence should 
be withdrawn, he would send them another 
Comforter, the Holy Ghost, who should abide 
with them for ever, and bring to remembrance 



88 MINISTRATION OF THE SPIRIT. 



the truths which he had taught them during 
his ministry. 

On the day of Pentecost, the first revival 
of religion that took place after his ascension, 
he gave them the fullest manifestations, that 
he had ascended to his throne in the Heaven 
of heavens. When they had met together at 
Jerusalem at the time appointed, the Holy 
Spirit was given in abundant measure, so that 
they spake with tongues, and glorified God. 
Under the sermon which Peter preached on 
this occasion, in which he charged upon the 
Jews the murder of the Saviour with wicked 
hands, many of them were convinced of their 
sin, uttering this most momentous inquiry, 
Men and brethren, what shall we do to be 
saved ? The gospel by Peter's mouth gave 
a ready answer, Repent and be converted, and 
ye shall receive the remission of sins. Three 
thousand immediately obeyed the command, 
believing on the Lord Jesus, and were bap- 



MINISTRATION OF THE SPIRIT. 89 

tized, and the same day were added to the 
believing friends of Jesus. From that time 
the grand subject of their preaching was, Jesus 
and the resurrection, and they were filled 
with joy and the Holy Ghost, performing won- 
ders in the name of their risen and ascended 
Lord. 

Christians of every name, friends of genu- 
ine revivals, as ye desire the continuance of 
these gracious seasons, and their prevalence 
through the whole earth, be much in prayer 
for the copious outpouring of the Holy Spirit. 
The vail of the temple is rent in twain, and 
ye may have free access to the throne of grace. 
Pray ye to the Lord of the harvest that he 
will send forth laborers into his harvest, men 
like Paul and Barnabas, full of the Holy Ghost 
and of faith, men willing to work in the cause 
of God and truth. Evangelists are needed 
not only for the cause of missions in distant 
countries, not only for the destitute parts of 



90 MINISTRATION OF THE SPIRIT. 

our own United States, but also to sound the 
trumpet of the gospel in our populous cities, 
to wake up the sleepers in our churches. Do 
we not recollect the portion of Scripture, 
which says, that while men slept the enemy 
came and sowed tares among the wheat ? Do 
we not see in our cities the prevalence of Po- 
pery, powerfully working in the plausibilities 
of Puseyism ? Other soul-destroying errors 
are infusing poison in the churches, and vice 
is prevalent in the higher circles under the 
names of fashionable life, and polite amuse- 
ments. 

Sinners of every character, awake to the 
salvation of your souls ! The vail of the tem- 
ple is rent in twain, and the kingdom of hea- 
ven is open before you. Ye are commanded 
to lay down the weapons of your rebellion, and 
to enter this kingdom by believing in Jesus. 
Listen to what, he says to you, " Behold, I 
have set before you an open door, which no 



MINISTRATION OF THE SPIRIT. 91 



man can shut. 5 ' " Come unto me all ye that 
labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you 
rest." If ye bow your wills to this sovereign 
mandate, you will obtain immortal glory. The 
great High Priest of the new dispensation, 
having offered himself a sacrifice for sin, now 
presents in heaven the blood of atonement 
shed for sinners, and pleads its efficacy for 
the full salvation of every penitent^ believing 
sinner, 



CHAPTER XII. 



THE LATTER DAY GLORY OF THE CHURCH. 

Revelation xiv. 6. 

I SAW ANOTHER ANGEL FLY IN THE MIDST OF 
HEAVEN, HAVING THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL 
TO PREACH UNTO THEM THAT DWELL ON THE 
EARTH, AND TO EVERT NATION, AND KINDRED, 
AND TONGUE, AND PEOPLE, SATING WITH A 
LOUD VOICE, FEAR GOD AND GIVE GLORT TO 
HIM. 

It is not our intention to present the entire 
scope and meaning of this passage. The 
book from which we copy the declaration, we 
suppose to be a prophecy of what shall come 
to pass in the latter-day glory of the church. 
It has been too much the mistake of commen- 
tators on Bible predictions, that they have 



LATTER DAY GLORY. 



93 



been in too great haste to understand the im- 
port of the things foretold, and that they have 
endeavored to inform us the particulars of what 
God had determined to conceal till near the 
time when events were to develop the import 
of what he had but partially revealed to his 
prophets and apostles. In this book of Reve- 
lation, angels are repeatedly mentioned, who 
must be considered as the ministers of the 
gospel. The angels of the seven churches of 
Asia are confessedly the ministers of those 
churches. Perhaps the angel here named, 
whose flight is through the midst of heaven, 
designates the ministers of God who are to be 
employed in publishing the gospel through our 
guilty world ; and it is not improbable that the 
effects of revivals of religion which have oc- 
curred and are now occurring, are intimations 
of the manner in which the news of salvation 
are to be spread abroad in the languages of all 
nations. The most remarkable events which 
9 



94 



LATTER DAY GLORY 



have occurred in the church from creation to 
the present time, have been effected by revi- 
vals. Whenever it has been the pleasure of 
the God of providence to send great prospe- 
rity to his people, he has done it by reviving 
the hearts of his children, and raising them up 
to destroy idolatry and wickedness by the pre- 
valence and establishment of his worship, and 
by the sudden overthrow and destruction of 
his incorrigible enemies. It was thus when he 
destroyed Pharaoh and his host in their perse- 
cution of Israel ; and in the song of inspira- 
tion which was dictated to the mouth of Debo- 
rah and Barak, it was sung, " The Lord has 
triumphed gloriously ; the horse and his rider 
hath he thrown into the sea. 55 

God is the source and centre of all the 
blessedness of the heavenly world. It is the 
display of his perfections which fills with de- 
light the holy angels, and the multitude of the 
spirits of just men made perfect. The noble 



OF THE CHURCH. 



95 



company of the redeemed bow in happy ado- 
ration before the Lamb in the midst of the 
throne, saying " Thou hast redeemed us unto 
God by thy blood, out of every kindred and 
nation, and thou art worthy to receive honor 
and glory and power forever and ever. 55 
When the sister of Lazarus went to his grave 
with Jesus, and the Lord commanded that the 
stone should be taken away from the tomb, a 
moment of unbelief seemed to take possession 
of her heart. She said to the Lord, as if she 
supposed that he had made some mistake in 
his order, Lord by this time putrefaction has 
commenced its ravages on the lifeless body. 
The Saviour gave her this gentle rebuke, 
" Said I not unto thee, that if thou wouldst 
believe thou shouldst see the glory of God ?" 
When Lazarus came forth she saw the glory 
which Jesus promised. In what way can we 
imagine, from the moral state of the world, 
that it is to be renovated, more impressively 



96 



LATTER DAY GLOUY 



than by revivals of religion ? The gospel is 
God's appointed method for the conversion of 
the human family, and we have the greatest 
reason to believe, that it is by the publication 
of the way by which sinners are to be saved, 
that he will renew the face of the earth. 

What encouragement is now afforded to the 
friends of truth by the gracious influence, 
which is at this time shed abroad in our cities 
and towns ! They may lift up their heads 
with joy, and say, " Lo this is our God, we 
have waited for him and he will save us." 

The dispensation under which we live is 
denominated by Paul, the ministration of the 
Spirit. The old dispensation is called the 
ministration of condemnation ; but how much 
more shall ours be called that of mercy ! We 
are not commanded to approach the Lord 
with tedious rites and ceremonies and bloody 
sacrifices of beasts ; but we are invited to come 
with humble boldness to the throne of grace, 



OF THE CHURCH. 



97 



and with penitence and faith to implore and 
expect the forgiveness of all our sins in the 
name of Jesus. The Holy Ghost has prom- 
ised to answer the petitions of the saints, and 
we are exhorted to ask in faith that our joy 
may be full. 

O ye believers in God, ye lovers of the 
Saviour, ye who trust in the energy and grace 
of the Holy Ghost, come to the Lord as he 
has commanded you, and supplicate with holy 
earnestness the abundant showers of his grace, 
that revivals may continue to bless the w 7 orld, 
till the whole earth shall be filled with his 
glory. Do we not know, that on a certain 
occasion Jesus spake a parable to this end, 
that " men ought always to pray and not to 
faint ?" It is the persevering, fervent prayer 
of faith in the name of Jesus, that will bring 
down to the church on earth the richest bless- 
ings. 

What is more clearly revealed in the Scrip- 
9* 



98 



LATTER DAY GLORY. 



ture, than this truth, that there is a holy inter- 
course between heaven and earth? Much of 
this intercourse is carried on by prayer, and 
secret communion with God. The Rev. Dr. 
Baldwin used to say in seasons of revival, 
that it was easy preaching when Christians 
were praying. During his ministry of more 
than thirty years with the Second Baptist 
Church in this city, several precious revivals 
occurred, in which he and the venerated Still- 
man labored with much success. The most 
remarkable one took place in 1804 and 
1805. It is here mentioned with pleasure, 
that the Rev. Dr. Eckley, then pastor of the 
Old South Church, frequently engaged with 
these ministers in the meetings during that 
revival. Happy would it be for Boston, if all 
the churches now felt the same gracious influ- 
ence w T hich pervaded that season. 



CHAPTER XIII. 

THE CROWNING EVIDENCE OF SALVATION. 

Matthew x. 22. 

HE THAT ENDURETH TO THE END SHALL BE 
SAVED. 

These words of the Lord Jesus were 
spoken to his disciples, when he sent them 
forth to preach the gospel, and they contain 
the gracious promise of eternal life to every 
disciple that shall persevere in obeying his 
gospel to the end of life. He candidly stated 
to them the persecutions and trials to which 
they would be subjected in preaching repen- 
tance to guilty men. He assured them, how- 
ever, of his constant presence and support in 
all the difficulties, which they should encoun- 



100 CROWNING EVIDENCE 



ter, and commanded them not to fear the 
wrath of their enemies, but to fear him who 
is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 
How rich are the promises, which Jesus 
makes to those who persevere in his service 
to the end of life, overcoming the snares of 
the world and wiles of Satan. Let us recur 
to some of these promises. 

u To him that overcometh will I grant to 
sit with me on my throne, even as I also over- 
came, and am set down with my Father in his 
throne. He that overcometh, the same shall 
be clothed in white raiment ; and I will not 
blot his name out of the book of life, but will 
confess his name before my Father, and before 
his angels. Him that overcometh, will I 
make a pillar in the temple of my God, and 
he shall go no more out : and I will write upon 
him the name of my God, and the name of 
the city of my God, which is New Jerusalem, 
which cometh down out of heaven from my 



OF SALVATION. 



101 



God : and I will write upon him my new 
name. To him that overcometh will I give 
to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst 
of the paradise of God." What a fullness of 
immortal blessedness is contained in these 
gracious declarations of the Redeemer, to en- 
courage us to be faithful in our obedience 
to him ? Besides these gracious assurances, 
every humble believer has the promise of the 
constant aid, and grace of the Holy Spirit. 

How noble are the motives, which should 
influence the Christian to endure with patience 
all the trials, which may be for him in conse- 
quence of his love to the Redeemer of his soul. 
Well might an apostle say, " The love of 
Christ constraineth us." In the exercise of 
holy gratitude, the redeemed sinner cannot fail 
to devote all the powers of his soul in the ser- 
vice of his Lord. 

The glory of God is intimately connected 
with our perseverance in the way of holiness. 



102 



CROWNING EVIDENCE 



" Herein/' said Jesus, " is ray Father glori- 
fied, that ye bear much fruit.' 5 Believers are 
commanded to let their light shine before the 
world, that ungodly men may see the influ- 
ence of religion in their holy practice. What 
a lovely exhibition of grace, is the circumspect 
behavior of an humble saint? The rapid 
progress of such an one in the life of faith, 
cannot fail to stimulate his brethren to imitate 
his bright example. While thus advancing 
homeward, he will seem to present a specimen 
of the purity of heaven's glory. His own 
felicity will increase with his growth in grace, 
and he will anticipate the rapture that Paul 
expressed, when he said, he had a desire to 
depart and be with Christ, which is far better, 
than all which he could enjoy while in a world 
of sin. 

Those who on their first conversion, appre- 
hend something of the glory which awaits 
them at death, sometimes appear almost im- 



OF SALVATION. 



103 



patient in being detained on earth ; but they 
should recollect, that God requires them to 
exhibit the loveliness of religion before a sinful 
world ; and if their stay on earth must be pro- 
tracted to the weariness of four score years, 
it will continue to be their duty to bring forth 
fruit. The promise is to him that endureth 
to the end, and in proportion to the faithful- 
ness of his endurance, will be his crown of 
glory in the heavenly world. 

Children of the living God, ye to whom he 
has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your 
hearts, enabling you to call him your Father, 
strive to live as in the suburbs of heaven, an- 
ticipating while on earth the joys of the hea- 
venly world. Recollect that the felicities of 
your religion are not confined to any locality. 
Do ye imagine, that Paul and Silas were less 
happy for being thrust into the inner prison of 
the jail at Philippi ? They had there the 
presence of God, and when they prayed and 



104 CROWNING EVIDENCE 



sang his praises, a sudden earthquake shook 
the foundations of the prison, manifesting that 
these men were the friends of God. How 
futile are the most cunning stratagems of his 
enemies ? God had a great purpose to ac- 
complish at Philippi, and nothing could retard 
it. If an earthquake is necessary, and the 
bands of the prisoners are to be loosed, we 
behold the work accomplished ! Though the 
jailor was charged to keep the prisoners safely, 
Paul and Silas are released from the prison, 
in which their feet were made fast in stocks, 
and are brought forth by the providence of 
God to preach the gospel, and baptize the 
astonished keeper of the prison and his house- 
hold, these new trophies of victorious grace. 
The stripes of the prisoners are washed by 
the penitent jailer, and they, with the new 
born converts, rejoice together, believing in 
God. Here we see an illustration of Milton's 
remark, that the soul may be happy in any 



OF SALVATION. 



105 



place, if it be reconciled to God, or wretched, 
if his enemy. This eloquent bard thus ex- 
pressed the idea, 

" The mind is its own place, and in itself 
Can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven, 
No matter where, if I be still the same." 

Though the three Jewish worthies were in 
the fiery furnace, or Daniel in the den of lions, 
or Paul a prisoner at Rome, or the beloved 
apostle John in his banishment on the Isle of 
Patmos, they were all more happy in their suf- 
fering and degradation, than the monarchs, their 
oppressors, though dwelling in palaces and 
seated on thrones of power. The former had 
the presence of God in their seasons of trial, 
while the latter perhaps were smarting under 
the lashes of their guilty consciences. 

Perseverance in the path of duty, or endur- 
ance to the end of life, has the promise of the 
highest reward which can be desired by the 

true believer. Jesus thus presents it to our view: 
10 



106 EVIDENCE OF SALVATION. 

" If a man love me, he will keep my com- 
mandments, and my father will love him, and 
we will come to him and take up our abode 
with him." " If any man serve me, him will 
my father honor." The honor here spoken 
of is the approbation of the Deity, and the 
certainty of his favor in a long eternity. 
This will include the highest blessedness of 
which the human soul is capable, and the 
endless society of all the friends of God. In 
the contemplation of this fullness of joy, justly 
has Dr. Young said, 

" A perpetuity of bliss is bliss." 

Rev, William Jay, of England in represent- 
ing the happiness of the believer as unaffected 
by the adverse changes of earth, thus ob- 
serves, " the Christian may stand on the ashes 
of the Universe and exclaim, I have lost no- 
thing." 



CHAPTER XIV. 



THE BELIEVER'S PROSPECT IN DEATH. 

II. Corinthians v. 8. 

WE ARE CONFIDENT, I SAY, AND WILLING RATHER 
TO BE ABSENT FROM THE BODY, AND TO BE 
PRESENT WITH THE LORD. 

Jesus Christ by his advent to the earth 
has opened to our view the invisible world. In 
his own person he has shown to us the pa- 
tience with which all the ills of life may be 
endured, and the dignity and condescension 
with which all the commandments of God may 
be obeyed in perfection, having in view the 
honor of God, and of his government, and the 
salvation of every penitent and believing soul. 
In his life and death he has shown us the high 



108 believer's prospect 

claims, and the reasonableness of the law of 
God. 

Through his intervention as our Redeemer, 
he has revealed to us the way in which God 
may be just in our salvation. Through his 
grace the Holy Spirit is sent forth to renew 
and sanctify the souls of men, communicating 
to them the grace which inspires their souls 
with the hope and expectation of eternal glo- 
ry. It was in this confident hope that the 
apostle said in behalf of himself and his believ- 
ing brethren, " We know, that if our earthly 
house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we 
have a building of God, a house not made 
with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in 
this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed 
upon with our house, which is from heaven." 
What this house from heaven is, of which the 
apostle speaks, we can have no adequate con- 
ception while in the body, but it is undoubt- 
edly a representation of unspeakable felicity. 



IN DEATH. 



109 



When Jesus was about to ascend from earth 
to heaven, he spake thus in relation to this 
subject ; " In my father's house are many- 
mansions. I go to prepare a place for you ; 
and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will 
come again, and receive you to myself, that 
where I am, there ye may be also." We 
need not be troubled in relation to the exact 
character of the mansions spoken of; for un- 
doubtedly a fullness of blessedness is meant. 
The beloved John has remarked ; " It does 
not yet appear what we shall be, but we know 
that when Jesus shall appear, we shall be like 
him, for w 7 e shall see him as he is." To be 
like Jesus and to see him as he is, beholding 
the fullness of his glory is a blessedness not to 
be expressed, or adequately conceived of in 
the present state. Suffice it to say, it will 
satisfy the holy soul. 

With what ardent desire have the saints in 
all ages panted for this felicity ! Venerable 
10* 



110 believer's prospect 

Jacob exclaimed, when in the pangs of expir- 
ing nature, " I wait for thy salvation." His 
holy soul panted for the rest which remameth 
for the people of God. Jacob's life protract- 
ed to one hundred and forty seven years was 
a chequered scene, a journey of weariness. 
When introduced to Pharaoh by Joseph, the 
monarch inquired of him his age. He replied 
" the days of the years of my pilgrimage are 
a hundred and thirty years : few and evil have 
the days of the years of my life been and have 
not attained unto the days of the years of the 
life of my fathers, in the days of their pilgrim- 
age." Here the patriarch introduced to Pha- 
raoh the nature of his religion, and that his 
life, like that of his ancestors, was a pilgrim- 
age to a heaven of holiness. David also, in 
expressing his disappointment in pursuing all 
the gratifications of the present life, looks for- 
ward with pleasing anticipation to a world of 
blessedness, and thus utters his hope of per- 



IN DEATH. 



Ill 



fection in the future state : " As for me, I 
will behold thy face in righteousness : I shall 
be satisfied, when I awake with thy like- 
ness." Nothing inferior to this can possibly 
satisfy the desires of an immortal mind. 

Confident prospects and similar feelings are 
expressed by New Testament saints. Paul, 
when near to the day of his martyrdom, thus 
observes, " I am ready to be offered and the 
time of my departure is at hand. I have 
fought a good fight, I have finished my course, 
I have kept the faith ; henceforth there is laid 
up for me a crown of righteousness which the 
Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at 
that day." This crown, the approbation of 
his Redeemer was all that he desired ; but he 
did not consider it as any thing which he had 
merited, but as the bountiful gift of his Sa- 
viour. Peter, who was a witness of the suffer- 
ings of Christ, confidently speaks of himself as 
" also a partaker of the glory, that shall be 



112 believer's prospect 



revealed." He had seen Jesus in his deepest 
humiliation, and when in an agony in the gar- 
den of Gethsemane, and he had the assurance 
that he should see him on his throne in hea- 
ven, where he would receive from angelic 
hosts and the multitude of the redeemed, the 
worship due to him as the self-existent God, 
the co-equal and co-eternal Son of the ever- 
lasting Father. 

In what strains of heavenly eloquence does 
this apostle celebrate the dignity of Jesus ! 
" We have not" said he, " followed cunningly 
devised fables, when we made known unto 
you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, but were eye-witnesses of his majesty. 
For he received from God the Father, honor 
and glory, when there came such a voice to 
him from the excellent glory, This is my 
beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 
And this voice which came from heaven we 
Iheard, when we were with him in the holy 



IN DEATH. 113 

mount." Perhaps there was never on earth 
a brighter display of the glory of Christ, than 
at the season alluded to. Peter, James, and 
John heard the conversation which Moses and 
Elias held with Jesus, when he spake of his 
decease. The magnificence of the display of 
his glory overpowered the senses of his disci- 
ples, so that they became heavy with sleep. 
It was to them such a discovery of the glory 
of Christ as the Son of God, that its remem- 
brance must have filled their souls with un- 
speakable delight. 

Peter, in exhorting his ministering brethren 
to be faithful, considers them and himself as 
shepherds, watching over the flock of God, 
and invites them to persevere in the discharge 
of their duty with the assurance, that when 
the Chief Shepherd shall appear, they shall 
receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. 
This prospect of eternal blessedness is the 
privilege of all believers, and its brightness 



114 



believer's prospect 



will become more and more the delight of 
their souls, as they advance in faith and holi- 
ness. 

Let them not faint in the pursuit of the 
purity, for which they thirst. God may see 
it necessary to purify their hearts with greater 
afflictions, before they arrive at the end of 
their journey ; but let them remember the 
comfortable assurance, which is couched in 
the beautiful distich of Pomfret : 

" Heaven is not always angry when he strikes, 
But oft chastises those whom most he likes." 

Let them bear in mind the consolations which 
is embodied in our Scripture at the head of 
this article, " absent from the body, and pre- 
sent with the Lord." It is indeed true, that 
a painful struggle may be endured in the dis- 
solution of the body ; the sentence was passed 
upon the race at the commission of the first 
transgression which 

M Brought death into the world, and all our woe." 



IN DEATH. 



115 



Body and Soul have long been connected 
in the closest intimacy, and the thought of 
their separation very naturally excites a feeling 
of dread. The reflection that the tabernacle 
in which the soul has so long dwelt, and which 
we have cherished with the fondest care, is 
to return to its primitive dust, becomes repul- 
sive. But all these feelings may be counter- 
acted and overcome by the hope which reli- 
gion inspires. 

The apostle has told us, " the body is dead 
because of sin ;" the sentence was passed upon 
our whole race " dust thou art and unto dust 
shalt thou return." But the believer has an 
immortal life in the world of glory, and God 
has kindly permitted him in the article of 
death assuredly to expect his beatification. 
The anticipations of this fulness of glory should 
at all times cheer his heart in his most painful 
trials. 



CHAPTER XV. 



THE CHRISTIAN IN HEAVEN. 

I. Corinthians ii. 9, 10. 

EYE HATH NOT SEEN, NOR EAR HEARD, NEITHER 
HAVE ENTERED INTO THE HEART OF MAN, 
THE THINGS WHICH GOD HATH PREPARED FOR 
THEM THAT LOVE HIM. BUT GOD HATH RE- 
VEALED THEM UNTO US BY HIS SPIRIT; FOR 
THE SPIRIT SEARCHETH ALL THINGS, YEA, 
THE DEEP THINGS OF GOD. 

The leading idea embodied in this passage 
and the accompanying verses, is this, that 
there is a state of perfect felicity for the friends 
of God in the invisible world, something of the 
nature of which is revealed to them by the 
Spirit of God in their regeneration, and by 
those heavenly communications which the 



CHRISTIAN IN HEAVEN. 117 

same Spirit may afterwards make to them in 
their communion with Him. The unregene- 
rate or natural man has no idea of the spiritu- 
ality of that religion, which God makes known 
to the real Christian. The truths spoken of 
are called the things of God ; and as no man 
knows the things of a man or his secret 
thoughts save the spirit of man which is in 
him, so the things of God knoweth no man 
but the Spirit of God. The apostle then pro- 
ceeds to illustrate, how it is that a believer be- 
comes acquainted with that religion, which is 
spiritual and divine. Now, says he, we be- 
lievers, have not received the spirit of the 
world, but the Spirit which is of God, that 
we might know the things which are freely 
given to us of God. This draws the line of 
demarkation between the friends of God and 
his enemies. 

It is an opinion entirely contradictory to the 
Scriptures, that the soul with the body will 
11 



118 CHRISTIAN IN HEAVEN. 

be in an unconscious state until the resurrec- 
tion. Jesus said to the Jews, " Now that 
the dead are raised" or that there is a future 
life, " even Moses showed at the bush, when 
he called the Lord, the God of Abraham, the 
God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. He is 
not the God of the dead but of the living." 
Thus he distinctly showed, that the souls of 
the saints now live with God in Heaven. 
This prospect of immediate blessedness at 
death is a grand motive for persevering obe- 
dience to the end of life, and should be a con- 
stant stimulus to preparation for the enjoyment 
of God in Heaven. This immortal hope 
should sustain the Christian in the endurance 
of the sharpest sufferings, to which he may be 
called for the honor of his Saviour. 

The spiritual knowledge of true religion on 
earth, constitutes a preparation for Heaven. 
All the inhabitants of that world are prepared 
for intercourse with the God of Glory, and at 



CHRISTIAN IN HEAVEN. 119 



death the Christian will be divested of all im- 
perfection and sin, and made meet for the 
inheritance of the saints in light. He will 
have the most intimate fellowship with angels, 
and with the spirits of just men made perfect. 
He will see and converse with Abraham, Isaac, 
and Jacob, and all the prophets in the king- 
dom of God. He will hear from the noble 
company of Martyrs, the story of their suffer- 
ings in the cause of their Redeemer ; and he 
will learn from apostles and confessors the 
supports and comforts, which they enjoyed in 
their work of faith and patience of hope, 
while on their pilgrimage to the heavenly 
world. With all these tl)ey will unite in giv- 
ing praise to Jesus in that endless song of 
worship, " unto him that loved us and washed 
us from our sins in his own blood, and has 
made us unto our God kings and priests, to 
him be glory and honor forever and ever." 
What an amazing transition is that, which 



120 CHRISTIAN IN HEAVEN. 



the saint experiences at death ! If we view 
him as a martyr burning at the stake, or cru- 
cified as was the Lord of Glory, or on the bed 
of death, suffering the pangs of dissolving na- 
ture, in either of these situations he will pass 
in a moment into the presence of his God and 
Saviour ! These are not the rhapsodies of en- 
thusiasm, the vagaries of a heated imagination, 
but facts, which have constantly occurred from 
the death of Abel to the present time. Shall 
we not cease to wonder at the. felicities of 
Heaven, when we reflect upon the character 
of its inhabitants, and the glory of that. Al- 
mighty Being, who is continually diffusing his 
own blessedness through the souls of the ador- 
ing millions, who worship before Him. 

The sublimity of His moral perfections will 
be an inexhaustible source of contemplation 
and joy in the endless ages of eternity. 
Though the mightiest minds which shall ever 
exist, will be continually endeavoring to fa- 



CHRISTIAN IN HEAVEN. 121 



thorn and comprehend his moral excellence, 
He will forever remain the incomprehensible 
Jehovah. What an illimitable source of joy 
will be the contemplations of the holy throng 
in Heaven in their admiration of the infinite 
Being, who fills immensity ! How will they 
delight to meditate upon the glories of his 
justice and the wonders of His love ! Most 
of all will they see God in Christ, Him who 
is the brightness of his glory, and the express 
image of his person. Shall we be surprised 
at the greatest endurance of suffering, which 
the saints have experienced in the present life, 
when we consider the expectations of immor- 
tal glory, with which their faith and love 
inspire them ? How should the same pros- 
pects and the same faith animate the living, to 
pursue the path towards eternal life ! How 
should our hearts rise in holy gratitude and 
praise to God, who has set before us such 
motives to seek his approbation ? Do we not 



122 



CHRISTIAN IN HEAVEN. 



clearly discern, how duty and happiness are 
intimately conjoined ? Our constant pursuit 
of them will bring down Heaven to Earth. 

From the contemplations in which we have 
indulged, we learn the value of the immortal 
soul. We learn its worth in the price which 
was paid for its redemption, in the sufferings 
and death of Jesus. But the value of the 
soul is most vividly delineated in the language 
of another, and we accordingly close our arti- 
cle with an impressive extract from the writ- 
ings of that great and good man, the late 
Robert Hall. 

" We are made for the enjoyment of eter- 
nal blessedness : it is our high calling and 
destination ; and not to pursue it with dili- 
gence, is to be guilty of the blackest ingrati- 
tude to the author of our being, as well as the 
greatest cruelty to ourselves. To fail of such 
an object, to defeat the end of our existence, 
and in consequence of neglecting the great 



CHRISTIAN IN HEAVEN. 123 

salvation, to sink at last under the frown of the 
Almighty, is a calamity which words were 
not invented to express, nor finite minds form- 
ed to grasp. Eternity invests every state, 
whether of bliss or of suffering, with a myste- 
rious and awful importance entirely its own, 
and is the only property in the creation which 
gives that weight and moment to whatever it 
attaches, compared to which all sublunary joys 
and sorrows, all interests which know a period, 
fade into the most contemptible insignificance. 
In appreciating every other object, it is easy 
to exceed the proper estimate. But what 
would be the funeral obsequies of the lost 
soul ? Where shall we find tears fit to be 
wept at such a spectacle ; or could we realize 
the calamity in all its extent, what tokens of 
commiseration and concern would be deemed 
equal to the occasion ? Would it suffice for 
the sun to veil his light, and the moon her 
brightness ; to cover the ocean with mourn- 



124 CHRISTIAN IN HEAVEN. 

ing, and the heavens with sackcloth ; or were 
the whole fabric of nature to become animated 
and vocal, would it be possible for her to utter 
a groan too deep, or a cry too piercing, to 
express the magnitude and extent of such a 
catastrophe !" 



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